| Abstract: | Morphological studies are reported for a thermotropic liquid crystalline polyester. Small angle light scattering studies were carried out as a function of temperature using Hv and Vv polarization with photographic as well as photometric techniques. No scattering was observed from a thin film cast from a dilute solution of the polymer in a highly volatile solvent. When the film was heated, scattering of light was observed above the glass transition temperature of the polyester. The scattering was found to be azimuthally dependent with Vv intensities being much higher than the corresponding Hv intensities. The size of the morphological features responsible for SALS patterns were calculated and were found not to change significantly with temperature ranging from glass transition temperature to the solid-nematic transition temperature of the polyester. The WAXS pattern of solution cast polymer was representative of an amorphous structure. Solution cast films heat treated under various conditions (all above the Tg of the polymer) contained crystalline as well as amorphous structures. The maximum apparent crystallinity for annealed samples was of the order of 30%. |
